”We’re really excited given all that’s happened regarding marriage equality, and the fact that we now have marriage equality in the District,” Richardson says.

”If you look at some of our honorees … there’s a somewhat consistent theme there in regards to honoring our allies.”

One of those allies is D.C. City Council Chairman Vince Gray ­– the presumptive next mayor of D.C. – who is being honored with the Stein Club’s President’s Award, what Richardson describes as a ”personal award.”

”Vince has been a political mentor ever since I ran for vice chair of the D.C. Democratic State Committee,” Richardson says. ”He has been supportive of me and been there to continue to give encouragement and direction. He’s been an amazing supporter of the club for many years, so it was just an opportunity for me to show him my appreciation for the support that he’s given over the last two years to the club and how present he has been for the organization.”

Richardson adds that the Stein Club endorsed Gray for mayor and will be celebrating his September win in the Democratic primary.

”The organization is happy that the candidate we endorsed won. We’re really excited about the leadership that we think Vince is going to bring to the city.”

Tiffany Joslyn is another of the 2010 honorees, being celebrated with the Desi Philip Deschaine Young Democratic of the Year Award. Richardson describes Joslyn as ”an amazing ally.”

”She’s the founder of the LGBT caucus of [Arlington Young Democrats]. She’s a young lawyer who has just been amazing, not only trying to do what she does in Virginia, but she’s been very active with the Stein club in helping us build our base and reach out to young LGBT activists.”